SADC ADVOCACY

This project is part of EJN’s programme of policy advocacy to promote pro-poor policy formulation in the SADC region.

An aspect of this programme is the Informal Cross Border Trading (ICBT) in the SADC Region where EJN will come up with a set of tools and support ICBT programme activities for the benefit of cross border traders.

EJN will continue work in the ICBT area with the intention of empowering cross border traders and their associations. In 2008 EJN conducted research on ICBT in southern Africa.

A recurring point is that traders are treated with suspicion and not taken seriously; they are viewed as people who are bent on breaking the law. It is important that Informal Cross Border Trading be put on the SADC agenda with a view of influencing policy so that it is much friendlier to ICBT.

EJN will continue to share its ICBT research with civil society organizations and government officials in SADC. The idea is to build a groundswell of opinion that can push for the advocation of laws that are friendly to the informal cross border trade sector in SADC.

EJN will continue to strengthen its relationship with the SADC Council of NGO (SADC CNGO) and Southern African Trade Union Coordinating Council (SATUCC) with a view towards strategizing on SADC engagement issues.

Together with these apex organizations, EJN will assist with the organizing of the annual NGO Forum and the SADC summit. EJN will support the establishment of the SADC Poverty and Development Observatory to monitor how poverty issues are being addressed in SADC.